Albert cromwell



(No Model.)

' A. CROMWELL.

GAME APPARATUS No. 459,997. Patented Sept. 22, 1891.

WITNESSES m VEN r09 Wt 74? Ar'mmvrs UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT OROMIVELL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO MCLOUGHLIN BROTHERS, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y.

GAME APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 459,997, dated September 22, 1891.

Application filed March 23, 1391.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT ORoMwELL, of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Game Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in games; and the object of my invention is to produce an apparatus by means of which a very amusing game may be played; and to this end my invention consists in certain features of construction and combinations of parts, which will be hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the views.

Figure 1 is a top perspective view of the apparatus embodying my invention; and Fig. 2 is a vertical crosssection through the gameboard, showing the top and tags in position thereon.

The game-board 10 is circularin shape and stands upon legs 11, and has a fiange 12 extending around the edge on the upper side to prevent the top and marker from falling off the board. The central portion of the board, as shown at 13, is slightly concaved, and at intervals around the edge of the board are pins 14, which are adapted to support the tags 15. The top of the board is preferably painted in two colors, the colors being arranged so as to divide the outer portion of the top surface of the board into eight regular sections, which sections are numbered, as shown inFig. 1.

The game is played by four persons, each of whom is entitled to two of the numbered sections of the board, and the'pins 14 are arranged opposite these sections. The eight tags 15 are made in different colors, there bein g two of each color, so that each player may have two tags to hang opposite his sections, so as to clearly indicate which sections belong to him, and thus avoid any confusion in playing the game. A top 16 is used in connection with the apparatus, the top having eight facets 17 on its sides, which facets are numbored to correspond with the numbers of the Serial No. 386,061. (No model.)

sections on the board, and the top is provided also with a spindle 18, by means of which it may be spun by the fingers.

A circular marker 19is used in connection with the top, the marker being perforated in the center, so that it may be dropped upon the spindle 18 of the top, as shown in Fig. 2.

\Vhen the board is divided into eight parts, in the manner described, the game is played by four persons, who use a certain number of chips, the chips being equally divided between them, and each player will contribute a certain number of chips to a general fund. Then each player selects two sections of the board and marks them by hanging his tags upon the pins 14. After this one of the players chooses first spin and takes the top and spins it in the center of the board. As soon as the top begins to spin the player takes the marker 19 and attempts to drop it upon the spindle 18 of the top without stopping the latter. If in doing so he should kill the top, or the top should stop spinning before he could get it on, he loses his turn, contributes an extra chip to the fund, and the turn to spin goes to the next player on the left. If the player succeeds in dropping the marker upon the top-spindle, the top when it dies will throw the marker to one side, as shown in Fig. 1, and the lucky holder of the tag corresponding to the space on which the marker strikes will take the pot. If a successful spin be made and the marker should not go in or not touch a section, or it should be thrown off the board, then the playerloses his turn and contributes a chip to the fund. Should a player make a successful spin and the marker be thrown into his space on the board and the top after it stops should have the side numbered to correspond with the space in which the marker is thrown uppermost, then each player is to give the lucky player two extra chips WVhen one of the four players has lost all his chips, then his two 5 tags are dead, and should any spinner toss the marker into a dead section he is to lose his turn and contribute one chip to the fund. When two players have lost all their chips, the remaining two select four tags each T00 and proceed until one player has won or lost all his chips, and so wins or loses the game.

When the marker has been tossed on the dividing line of the numbered sections and partially covers two of them, the section mostly covered counts. Should the marker be tossed on the central portion of the board and only 3' 1st touch a section, the section so touched counts. The player putting in his last chip toa fund has the spin, and continues to spin until a successful spin has been made without being compelled to put in what he has not in hand-that is, without compelling him to borrow.

The numbers and tags may be changed at any stage of the game; but such change must be made before the fund is made up or the top has been spun, and while it is preferable that the board be divided into eight sect-ions or spaces it is obvious that a greater or less number may be provided and that the game may be played without the use of the tags, although their use is desirable.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A game apparatus comprising a board having numbered spaces around its outer portion, a top having a spindle, and a circular perforated marker adapted to fit the spindle of the top, substantially as described.

2. A game apparatus comprising a board having a series of numbered spaces arranged around its outer portion and havinga central concave portion, a top having a spindle, and a perforated marker adapted to fit the topspindle, substantially as described.

3. A game apparatus comprising a board having a series of numbered spaces around its outer portion, a top having faceted sides numbered to correspond with the spaces of the board and having a spindle thereon, and a perforated marker to fit the spindle of the top, substantially as described.

i. A game apparatus comprising a board having a series of numbered spaces around its outer portion and having a vertical'fiange around the edge, a faceted top having its faces numbered to correspond with the faces of the board and having also a spindle, and a perforated marker to it the top-spindle, substantialiy as described.

5. A game apparatus comprising a flanged board having a series of numbered spaces arou nd its outer portion, a spindle-top adapted to spin on the board, a perforated marker to fit the top-spindle, a series of pins arranged in the flange and opposite the numbered spaces, and a series of diiterent-coiored tags to hang upon the pins, substantially as described.

ALBER'I CROMWELL.

Witnesses:

HENRY 0. Bonus, GEORGE \V. SELTZER. 

